Application Requirements and Form
The deadline for applications was January 31, 2012.
EPA is no longer accepting applications for the 2011-2012 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. Information on the 2012-2013 application process will be available soon.
Applications must be submitted by January 31, 2012, to be eligible for consideration. Online applications must be submitted by 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time on January 31, 2012, and hard copy applications must be postmarked by January 31, 2012. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Council on Environmental Quality will not be responsible for late receipt or non-receipt of submissions.
Applications for the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators include the following components.
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General information about the teacher.
The first half of the application form includes fields to collect contact information, confirm eligibility, and summarize the teacher’s experience.
Submitting Applications
We prefer to receive applications electronically (online); however, if you are unable to do so, we will accept a hard copy.
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Six brief essays.
These are to respond to the questions in the selection criteria.
- Applicants should be certain that each factor and subfactor of the selection criteria is adequately addressed in the narrative responses, and, as applicable, in the accompanying sample teaching materials (see below).
- If the applicant’s response to a particular factor cites information provided in the response to another factor or in the sample teaching materials, the response should clearly indicate where the information is located so the reviewer can easily find it.
- Length. The total length of the essays must be 12 or fewer pages (an essay may start on the same page the previous essay ended); additional pages will not be read or evaluated.
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Three letters of support.
These letters must be from individuals who are personally familiar with the quality of the applicant’s teaching in environmental education. One letter of support must come from an LEA or school administrator, one from a fellow teacher, and one from a past or current student. Letters of support must include the following:
- Relationship to nominee;
- Familiarity with the nominee and the work for which the nominee is being considered;
- Perspective on why the nominee’s work is unique and innovative in the field of environmental education, and how the nominee might inspire others to teach environmental education.
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Sample Teaching Materials.
- Content. Materials from one unit or module that the nominee has taught. Indicate how these materials were used, and how the students responded to them.
- Source(s). The materials may, but need not be, original to the applicant. If existing environmental education curricula or activities are submitted, the source of the materials must be documented.
- Length. The total length of the sample teaching materials must be 5 or fewer pages, plus 1 page describing their use and students’ response, and 5 or fewer pages of photos (such as of the materials being used), with each page no larger than 8½” x 11” when printed. (Note that photos are optional.) Web links to supporting teaching materials, such as photos (5 or fewer pages) and sound and/or video recordings (10 or fewer minutes total playing time) may also be provided. Teaching materials beyond the specified maximum lengths will not be evaluated.
Application Form
The PIAEE application for 2012-2013 will be available for download soon.
Online Submissions
NOTE: EPA is no longer accepting applications for the 2011-2012 PIAEE.
Hard Copy Submissions
NOTE: EPA is no longer accepting applications for the 2011-2012 PIAEE.
Hard copies must be sent by either U.S. Postal Service mail or a commercial delivery service, but either way must be “postmarked” by the deadline to be eligible for consideration.
When using mail or a commercial delivery service for your submission, please be certain to include all of the required supporting documents outlined above to ensure your application receives full consideration.
Please send your hard copy submission to:
U.S. Postal Service:
Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators
Tetra Tech EM Inc.
1881 Campus Commons Drive, Suite 200
Reston, VA 20191Express mail (FedEx & UPS), hand delivery or courier service:
Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators
Tetra Tech EM Inc.
1881 Campus Commons Drive, Suite 200
Reston, VA 20191
Phone: 703-391-5875